Publication: Step-by-step development of Woodstove changeout roadmap

Woodstove exchange roadmaps can become strong policy instruments for medium and long-term energy planning. They aim to alleviate energy poverty and reduce harmful emissions from wood and coal combustion. Such roadmaps are a basis for wood exchange programmes. These provide information and encourage citizens to replace old and inefficient stoves with modern, clean heating systems.

This publication explains step by step how such a plan can be developed using the InventAir project methodology.

The briefing paper by E3G analyses what lessons can be learned from the German Coal Commission for transformation processes in other countries (especially the CEE region) and sectors. Key findings are multi-stakeholder engagement, astrong regional component and a mandate to lay out multiple policy options. The analysis is part of an EUKI project with CEE Bankwatch and DUH. The results were published in an English briefing paper and a German summary.

Briefing Paper: The German Coal Comission – A Role Model for Transformative Change?

The briefing paper by E3G analyses what lessons can be learned from the German Coal Commission for transformation processes in other countries (especially the CEE region) and sectors. Key findings are multi-stakeholder engagement, astrong regional component and a mandate to lay out multiple policy options. The analysis is part of an EUKI project with CEE Bankwatch and DUH. The results were published in an English briefing paper and a German summary.

Ambitious energy legislation to reduce the use of coal in private heating systems

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The project raises awareness of air and environmental pollution in Poland. The specific goal is to ban coal from private heating systems. The results can serve as an example for other countries in Central and Eastern Europe.

Project content and measures

The project disseminates the version of ‘coal-free spa and tourist towns’, relying on awareness-raising and capacity-building measures. Legal advice (Soft Legal Intervention) is also part of the project work.

The implementing organisation ClientEarth initiates dialogue with relevant stakeholders within the framework of the project. These stakeholders include political decision makers, entrepreneurs, citizens, civil society organisations and media from Poland and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe (especially from Hungary and Bulgaria). The project organises meetings, public debates and dialogues with experts. By involving national stakeholders, the project also ensures a sustainable impact.

To achieve this, the project builds on the successful example of Krakow, where ClientEarth cooperated with local authorities to achieve a legal ban on solid fuels in 2016. The implementing organisation wishes to transfer the model to other spa and tourist cities in Poland, such as Wadowice, Uniejów and Polanica-Zdrój. Possible measures could be bans on solid fuels and the use of coal in domestic heating systems. Both of these measures would contribute to better air pollution control in Poland. They would also help accelerate Poland’s exit from coal and achieve a fair structural change within the framework of the EU commitments under the Paris Agreement.

Background

Poland is currently failing to comply with the directives on air pollution. One reason for this is the great dependence on coal and waste for heating in private households. More than 3.5 million Polish households still use outdated coal-fired heating systems. Poland is currently failing to comply with the directives on air pollution. One reason for this is the great dependence on coal and waste for heating in private households. More than 3.5 million Polish households still use outdated coal-fired heating systems. Reducing air pollution from heating systems should accelerate the phase-out of fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gases, thus combating climate change.

EUKI

This project is part of the European Climate Initiative (EUKI). EUKI is a project financing instrument by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). The EUKI competition for project ideas is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. It is the overarching goal of the EUKI to foster climate cooperation within the European Union (EU) in order to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

Bringing Germany’s Bürgerenergie to New Regions in Europe

This project aims to ensure an ambitious implementation of the European Clean Energy Package’s (CEP) new provisions in support of community energy, harnessing them as a tool to promote public renewable energy initiatives in the energy systems of Hungary and Spain in particular.

Project

The Renewable Energy Directive and the Electricity Market Directive both contain articles that specifically recognise the rights of and give rights to community energy projects to produce, store and sell their own energy.

This project provides local environmental and community groups and municipal stakeholders in Hungary and Spain with information on the provisions of the CEP and the potential of community energy, enabling them to start projects locally and reach out to national and local decision-makers. Additionally, the project builds the capacity of national, regional and local decision-makers to implement legislative changes for communities in their country or region, which may include the removal of barriers.

“The people’s windmill”: Public action outside the European Parliament in support of community energy. Source: Friends of the Earth Europe

The project keeps relevant European decision-makers informed about the situation of community energy and the progress made in implementing the CEP, enabling them to better support the project countries in their work to establish enabling environments for community energy. Mentoring and the twinning of community energy projects enhance the exchange of best practice and skills across Europe and support the development of national working groups in Hungary and Spain that are linked to the growing European Community Energy Coalition.

Background

European countries such as Germany, Denmark and, in part, Belgium have demonstrated the potential of community energy and the central role of citizen participation in the Energiewende (energy transition). Most EU Member States lack enabling legal frameworks, which impedes the development of many projects. In Hungary, as in many of the countries of Central Eastern Europe, community energy is not widespread and only a few pilot projects exist. In Spain, the retroactive changes made to electricity regulations have affected renewables and community ownership and brought the momentum that once existed in these areas to a halt. However, with the implementation of the CEP there is a window of opportunity to change this.

Contact Person

EUKI

The European Climate Initiative (EUKI):

This project is part of the European Climate Initiative (EUKI). EUKI is a project financing instrument by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). The EUKI competition for project ideas is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. It is the overarching goal of the EUKI to foster climate cooperation within the European Union (EU) in order to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

Changes in the heating sector are fundamental for the improvement of air quality in Poland. This report wants to contribute by analysing both the good as well as the bad experiences of Denmark and Germany. The study shows the importance of long-term vision, specific aims and mechanisms motivating engagement and appropriate evaluation of environmental costs in this process.